I wake up this morning to duff my hat to the Minister of Interior, Tunji Ojo and the Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration, Kemi Nandap.
I wanted to complete the experience before giving accolades. I did not really believe the reforms at Immigration service until I went through the total official process of renewing my passport.
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I applied on line and got an appointment date almost immediately. Walahi, I thought it was a joke. With that pleasant surprise, I went to the immigration office at the Airport Road with just my appointment letter and receipt of payment. Still a bit apprehensive of the process and tensed about the usual waiting process, I got to the Capturing Office earlier than my appointment time. I was about one hour early that day. Well, I would just wait it out, I thought. That was where the pleasant surprises began. The welcome was warm and everyone was all smiles as I was handed Number 124 and asked to go into the hall. 124, wow, perhaps I should have come even earlier, I thought to myself. Another surprise awaited me at the entrance of the hall, smart looking officers at the gate treated me as if I was entering a 5-Star hotel. Welcome Madam. What’s your number, okay, sit here. I sat down still dreading the waiting period. Within two minutes the queue moved and that happened like every other two to three minutes. I hadn’t finished playing three on-line scrabble games when it got to my turn. There were so many capturing booths and I was politely directed to one of them where courteous officers did the capturing. I was given a slip with which to collect my passport. I would be informed, they said. Wow! I do not think I spent over thirty minutes. I couldn’t believe it. Have I mentioned how the AC kept us cool on full blast???
I collected my passport yesterday…just over a week after capturing.
From the gate to the hall, collection and capturing, what I saw, marvelled me. I reminded of what Dr. Brown, a top Immigration brass told me during an interview about two decades ago. He said the Immigration service of a country are the country’s first PR representatives, they are a reflection of the government, culture and social- economic life of the people. Now I can see what Dr. Brown meant.
It is indeed a new Nigeria and I believe the minister when he asserted that we will be collecting our passports via delivery right on our doorstep, soon.
If you cannot see the good in your country, perhaps you have decided to be closed minded and grouchy. Be careful because you may never attract anything good.
Tinubu is working and I see a much better Nigeria in the near future.
Our president is a doer and not a rattler. I am positive of that.
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